Strikes over proposed changes to pension rights have halted oil product deliveries from all of France's refineries today. Fuel depots, petrochemical plants and ports are also affected by the industrial action.
TotalEnergies — which operates three of the country's six refineries — said although oil product movements out of its facilities have been blocked, "there is no lack of fuel in our service stations". The company said stocks at depots are high. "Our teams are ready to meet demand which could be higher than normal, with additional logistics resources, if needed," it said.
France's CGT trade union said workers have downed tools at all six refineries, which have a combined capacity of around 1.15mn b/d. This includes the 207,100 b/d Lavera refinery, operated by UK-Chinese venture Petroineos, which largely avoided pay-related strikes that hobbled much of France's downstream sector in September-November last year.
TotalEnergies' 219,000 b/d Donges, 246,900 b/d Gonfreville and 109,300 b/d Feyzin refineries have 75pc-93pc of their workforce on strike, according to the CGT. ExxonMobil's 133,000 b/d Fos refinery has 75pc out on strike, while the US company's 236,000 b/d Port Jerome refinery and adjacent Gravenchon petrochemical plant have around 40-50pc of workers out, the union said.
Workers are also staging walkouts at TotalEnergies' Carling petrochemical site and its Flanders fuel depot, plus the firm's 500,000 t/yr La Mede hydrotreated vegetable oil plant. And dockers and land crew are on strike at France's Mediterranean port of Fos-Lavera, which has halted the loading and discharge of crude and products.
The CGT said it will continue to ballot its members over the strike action, which could be extended indefinitely. Ballots take place at varied times according to workers' shifts at different locations, but they are largely held every eight hours.
By Adam Porter
